Contemporary gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines, video blackjack machines and video keno machines, include primary games and often secondary or bonus games. In one known gaming device, when a player obtains a predetermined outcome in a primary game, the gaming device uses a relatively large mechanical spinning wheel to indicate or present a predetermined award to the player. The gaming device then provides the award to the player.
In other known gaming devices, the gaming device causes mechanical dice to rotate when a predetermined event occurs. When the dice stop rotating, the dice display a certain number of dots. Depending upon how many dots are displayed, the player may or may not win a predetermined award.
In one known gaming device having a die rotating device, the die rotating device does not accurately and reliably track the die position, especially after one complete rotation of the die. Specifically, such gaming device includes a commercially available component, known as 1DU DICE UNIT™, which is manufactured by Starpoint Electrics Ltd., Unit 1 King Georges Trading Estate Davis Road, Chessignton, Surrey, KT9 1TT, United Kingdom. This component uses a single optical device to track when face one of a die is facing a player. This component also monitors the number of steps made by the motor. The gaming device processor uses this information to perform a calculation. This calculation takes into account the specific gear ratios of the component and the type of motor used (such as, whether the motor is a twenty-four step motor or otherwise). If the gears do not skip and the motor functions properly, the calculation determines when the die is displaying a second face, a third face and so on. However, if the gears skip or if the motor malfunctions, the calculation yields erroneous information.
As in many devices which involve gears, the gears periodically skip, as is the case with this component. When the gears skip, the component sends signals to the gaming device processor which specify that a particular face is displayed when in reality that face is only partially displayed or worse, a different face is actually displayed to the player. This misinformation is problematic for operators of casinos because it creates frustration and dissatisfaction among the customers.
There are no known gaming devices which use an award indicator which includes award values affixed to a plurality of rotating mechanical dice wherein the dice indicate the award won by the player. In addition, there are no known gaming devices which include numbers or dots affixed to rotating mechanical dice and a table of different ranges of numbers or dots, wherein the ranges are associated with different awards. Furthermore, there are no known gaming devices having die rotators which produce reliable and accurate die position information during and after a complete rotation of the dice.
To increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide players with new gaming devices with new and reliable mechanical award indicators.